RIP Frantic

[Aslan]

My first ball cracked last weekend!

I've had an old Columbia300 urethane ball forever but in August 2013 bought my first reactive resin ball; a Storm Frantic. Now, in fairness, I did damage that ball with a pinsetter incident…but the pro shop repaired it and it worked fine after that. I haven't used the ball in over a year…it's been retired. Well, it was sitting on my bowling ball rack in my living room (see other thread) and it just cracked. It was a crack almost all the way around the ball.

I know it's very, very common nowadays…but that was my first one so I thought I'd share!

[classygranny]

At least it was retired and not a current ball, but still sad....RIP

[Mike White]

My first ball cracked last weekend!

I've had an old Columbia300 urethane ball forever but in August 2013 bought my first reactive resin ball; a Storm Frantic. Now, in fairness, I did damage that ball with a pinsetter incident…but the pro shop repaired it and it worked fine after that. I haven't used the ball in over a year…it's been retired. Well, it was sitting on my bowling ball rack in my living room (see other thread) and it just cracked. It was a crack almost all the way around the ball.

I know it's very, very common nowadays…but that was my first one so I thought I'd share!

Your first "child" has left the nest.

I've got a ball sitting next to my garage that had not only cracked the cover, the filler material has been pulled away from the core where it cracked.

It's waiting for my neighbor to take it out for target practice.

[Aslan]

I've spent a lot of time in pro shops and to a guy like MikeW…a cracked ball is an everyday experience. He even showed me one where over time the ball shrunk…which was really cool.

I've also heard, and this is just opinion, that Storm balls tend to not only "die" earlier…but crack more often. Now, to be fair, most bowlers also feel Storm products are superior to other brands and have the best OTB performance…so it's certainly possible premature death and even cracking are the tradeoff for superior performance…but having this ball crack…and it's a Storm…it made me wonder.

[Amyers]

Every brand has balls that crack. Its just part of modern bowling balls. It lived a good life time to move on and lay a friend to rest.

[ChuckR]

Yes it must be sad when a ball cracks. On the other hand, it might be nice if the right ball(less used) were to crack so I could justify to you know who, if married, getting a new ball.

[Aslan]

Yes it must be sad when a ball cracks. On the other hand, it might be nice if the right ball(less used) were to crack so I could justify to you know who, if married, getting a new ball.
I'd solve that problem via divorce.


Every brand has balls that crack. Its just part of modern bowling balls. It lived a good life time to move on and lay a friend to rest.
Yes...but there goes my living room air freshener. It's orange/line smell was supposed to cover up my usual living room smell of flatulence. Now the rack is mostly Brunswick and they don't smell like anything.

[vdubtx]

What?!? No pictures of said ball on crack?

[fortheloveofbowling]

Just a tip for others that may have equipment sitting around not currently being used. Wrap them in some type of plastic and that should keep them from cracking. I have no idea what the scientific reason is, just a tip i picked up some where.

[HowDoIHookAgain]

R.I.P. Frantic.

But anyway, I've heard that it's real bad to leave a ball outside in the cold of winter because it'll get all cold and that I believe is what initially causes it to start cracking. Likewise, I also think that leaving it in the summer heat is bad as well. I normally tend to just wrap my ball up in my towel and that seems to be fine. Bowling, what you said above about the plastic makes sense, because the plastic probably prevents it from the outside elements. I suppose it's worth a try. What's the worse that happens, it ends up cracking in the same amount of time?

[Aslan]

What?!? No pictures of said ball on crack?

I was tempted and actually tried like hell to crack it open to get at the core…but finally gave up and tossed it in the dumpster.

[Jessiewoodard57]

Aslan, I love the air freshener (no pun intended) crack

[Aslan]

:( ---moment of silence---- :(

The Slingshot was found today on the bowling ball rack with a crack wrapping all the way around the ball from the middle finger hole to the ring finger hole. No suicide note was left, but it was a well-known fact among the other bowling balls on the rack that the Slingshot was depressed due to the retirement late last season and was struggling with the ongoing issues regarding being the 5th ball in a 5-ball progression after getting demoted to 3rd ball in a 3-ball progression in 2013.

The Slingshot is best remembered for it's pivotal role as my early spare ball and being the first ball I had drilled Bill Hall Tri-Grip due to Iceman's suggestions.

The Slingshot still holds the "Aslan's Arsenal Record" (or "Aaarrgh" if you're a pirate) for:

Only Resin Ball to be Used as a Spare Ball
Least Expensive Ball Ever Purchased New ($57.99 shipped)
Lowest PerfectScale Rating (< 160)
Most Games Thrown with a Pearl Coverstock (> 171)

The Slingshot last had a memorable game on 12-22-14 during Christmas break open bowling I switched to the Slingshot midway through a 12-game practice (dry, beat up conditions on the holidays) and went 174-193-243-214-154-233.

The Slingshot's best sanctioned performances occurred in late days of the old Wood Lanes house I started bowling at when I subbed for my old team in their Friday Night Vegas league. I bowled a high series of 551 on 6-27-14 after bowling a 168 in Game 1 with the Hammer Rhythm and then switching to the Slingshot and bowling 193-190. The high game was a 201 on 3/28/14; it's only sanctioned game over 200.

[larry mc]

i had 3 crack this week , freeze , crux and guru ,, 2 r under warranty thank god

[Aslan]

i had 3 crack this week , freeze , crux and guru ,, 2 r under warranty thank god

How long is the waranty on a bowling ball?

I mean, if it's 2 years...then both my Frantic and Slingshot are still under warranty. Not that I'd try to claim anything. I mean, the Frantic was damaged hitting the pinsetter so I imagine that brings the warranty into question. And the Slingshot is technically retired and just a bowling rack decoration at this point.

But I am kinda disappointed that bowling balls don't seem to last 2 years without complete failure. At least the lower end bowling balls. larry mc had a Guru and Crux crack...and thats two higher end pieces so....I'd definitely be upset.

[Stormed1]

DV8 is 2 years. some of the Hammers is 3 years, the rest are all 1 year warranties

[vdubtx]

---moment of silence observed---

Wow, 2 balls you have had crack now. I have yet to have 1 ball crack.

Have 7 at home that are in permanent residence in my garage that are still just fine. Holding on to them for sentimental value. Have ball I started out with, was my dad's old rubber Dick Weber 5 star ball. Columbia White dot that I used after high school as well as an Ebonite blue urethane and, a Red Pearl Fab Hammer ball. Columbia U-Turn was the first ball I threw a 300 with, Black Widow Pearl shot 300 with and had my prior high series of 792, Track Slash which I could never get a consistent series with, I use this ball to experiment with different grips and drilling patterns.

Another 6 live in the trunk of my car and get used pretty much every week.

[Amyers]

Yeah I'm yet to have one crack either nock on wood. Can't say that I take any particular care of them either.

[TVan]

The only ball that has cracked on me was being "baked" to draw the oil out.

[Blacksox1]

I have lost 4 balls, 3 Storm; Crux, Marvel S and Marvel, 1 Brunswick pearl, in the last season and a half, due to cracking. These were used so I got them all for the cost of roughly 1 new ball, so not a big deal.

What I have learned. Do not buy used, or very cheaply if risking it. Storm balls will crack. Lane damage (crux), DIY baking (marvel s), Hot car for like 5-10 minutes (marvel), old age (brunswick).

If a ball is sitting in a rack or in the closet, you need to rotate it a quarter turn or more, every 2 weeks or less, esp. if it is a Storm ball or high end. I know other bowlers that have had this occur.

[Amyers]

I have lost 4 balls, 3 Storm; Crux, Marvel S and Marvel, 1 Brunswick pearl, in the last season and a half, due to cracking. These were used so I got them all for the cost of roughly 1 new ball, so not a big deal.

What I have learned. Do not buy used, or very cheaply if risking it. Storm balls will crack. Lane damage (crux), DIY baking (marvel s), Hot car for like 5-10 minutes (marvel), old age (brunswick).

If a ball is sitting in a rack or in the closet, you need to rotate it a quarter turn or more, every 2 weeks or less, esp. if it is a Storm ball or high end. I know other bowlers that have had this occur.

I have 2 Brunswick, 5 storms, 2 roto grips, 3 seismic, and 1 hammer all sitting in my garage floor (is heated/cooled) most are over a year old some quite a bit older and haven't had any crack. Balls cracking is bad luck, it happen and happens to every brand.

[Blacksox1]

I have 2 Brunswick, 5 storms, 2 roto grips, 3 seismic, and 1 hammer all sitting in my garage floor (is heated/cooled) most are over a year old some quite a bit older and haven't had any crack. Balls cracking is bad luck, it happen and happens to every brand.


Success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one's own actions.

Mudpuppy cliff notes. Amyers favors chance. Blacksox1 favors one's own actions. Just like two sides of a coin.:)

[Aslan]

I like when I went to visit MWhite at his old shop and he had a ball that actually shrunk. It was no longer legal due to it's size. I had never seen that before. I'm sure it happens...but nobody ever really checks for that so they might not even notice it.

[manke]

I've had three roto grip balls crack that i had in my bedroom closet. I never rotated them so its my fault i guess. But you never think about them because there in a controlled envirement.

[TVan]

I've had three roto grip balls crack that i had in my bedroom closet. I never rotated them so its my fault i guess. But you never think about them because there in a controlled envirement.

Same here. I have some in my room on the floor. I didn't even think to rotate them. Constant temp and not sitting on a rack, I assumed they would be fine. I guess not but they are basically retired so I haven't paid much attention to them.

[Aslan]

I don't mind if the retired ones crack. But I have 8 undrilled on my bowling ball rack and another 4 in boxes in the closet...I'd prefer those don't crack before I've had a chance to drill and use them.